Archive for the ‘Indian’ tag

* Most motorcycle enthusiasts have surely seen one or two of Richard and Phyllis Milne’s pictures of Floyd Emde alllllmost making it to the top of a hillclimb on his Indian in 1948. The whole sequence of photos, though, which The Old Motor published this week, shows how that top topple went down.

Indian Motorcycles have been a part of American motorcycling history since the firm, then named the Hendee Manufacturing Company, built its first production motorcycle in 1901. Over its 113-year history, the brand has seen numerous successes and failures, along with several revivals and changes in ownership. Indian Nation, an exhibit opening later this month at the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, paints a portrait of the distinctly American brand and its lengthy history through displays of 22 Indian motorcycles and associated in-period memorabilia.

The Hendee Manufacturing Company, which originally produced bicycles, was founded in 1897 by bicycle racer George Hendee. His products initially carried the “Silver King” and “Silver Queen” labels, but to increase brand recognition in foreign markets, Hendee wanted a name that symbolized the United States; ultimately, “American Indian” was chosen. In 1900, Swedish machinist and fellow bicycle racer Oscar Hedstrom joined the firm, and the pair soon began building motorized bicycles with modest 1.75 horsepower engines. A year later, the firm’s first prototype motorcycle was constructed, followed by two production versions; the Indian name was adopted for this product line as well, as it served as a reminder of “America’s pioneer tradition.”

When the first Indian motorcycles were sold in 1902, they hit the market with chain drives and streamlined styling, though this was far less extreme than the brand would produce in later years. In 1903, Hedstrom (then Indian’s chief engineer) set a world motorcycle speed record of 56 MPH aboard an Indian motorcycle, and in 1904 the Crimson Steed of Steel livery (that would later become a hallmark of Indian design) was introduced. Two years later, the firm introduced the first production U.S. V-twin engine, and an icon of American motorcycling was born.

By 1914, the Hendee Manufacturing Company had grown to massive proportions, with a seven-mile long production line housed in the company’s one-million-square-foot headquarters in Springfield, Massachusetts. During the First World War, Indian ceased its racing endeavors to focus on the war effort, and the company was soon rewarded by booming sales fueled by returning American soldiers. In 1923, with Indian an instantly recognized brand the world over, the firm dropped the Hendee name to become Indian Motocycle Company (with motocycle being a common early spelling of motorcycle).

The Great Depression had an impact on all motorcycle sales, but Indian soldiered through after its 1930 acquisition by DuPont Motors, headed by industrialist and Indian motorcycle owner E. Paul du Pont. When war loomed again at the decade’s end, Indian went on the offensive, producing motorcycles and sidecar rigs for both American and Allied armed forces. As the war ended, however, Indian could no longer wait for another postwar sales boom, and was sold to the Torque Engineering Company, which soon split manufacturing and distribution between two companies. Anticipated postwar prosperity never came, and in 1953, the Indian brand halted production for the first time.

The brand still had merit, and over the years appeared on an odd assortment of motorcycles and motorcycling-related products. This ended when a new Indian Motorcycle Company began producing new motorcycles in 1999. Just four years later, this venture also failed, but the rights to the name and the company’s intellectual property were quickly acquired by another entity with a goal of relaunching the brand. In 2008, a new iteration of Indian motorcycles began production, aimed at the upper strata of the domestic market, just as the U.S. economy began a downward spiral.

Enter Polaris, the powersport giant that produces snowmobiles, ATVs, watercraft and the Victory motorcycle brand. In 2011, Polaris acquired rights to the Indian brand and its intellectual property, and set to work redesigning the Indian motorcycle lineup for a 2014 launch.

The Indian Nation exhibit at the AACA Museum won’t cover every decade of the brand, but motorcycles to be displayed range from an unrestored 1903 Indian (believed to be among the earliest surviving examples of the marque) to a 1957 Indian Apache. Representing the brand’s early racing success will be a 1916 four-valve single board-track racer, a 1928 Scout hill-climber and a 1940 Scout racer. Proving that the Indian brand crossed all demographics is a 1906 Indian, in unrestored condition, once owned by industrialist (and later, Indian Motocycle president) E. Paul du Pont. Highlighting the trend towards customization is a 1934 Indian Chief “bobber,” modified for cleaner lines and weight savings, while a 1940 Military Chief is indicative of the company’s efforts to support the military during World War II, which qualified it for an Army-Navy Production Award in 1943.

Indian Nation will open at the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on March 28 and run through October 24. For additional details, visit AACAMuseum.org.

One doesn’t expect to see a vehicle with a paltry four horsepower come from the collection of the late Steve McQueen, but that’s exactly what this 1914 Indian Model F board track motorcycle, coming up for auction this weekend, offers.

The bike lacks many amenities, such as a clutch or brakes, and was designed specifically forpush-start board track racing, but the 4hp V-Twin single-cylinder engine could achieve speeds of up to 100 MPH on the banked oval. According to Bonhams, which will offer the bike at its International Classic MotorCycle Show at the Staffordshire County Showgrounds in the United Kingdom, the Indian has been restored to period configuration and is expected to sell for $34,000 to $43,000.

A number of other bikes at the sale might not benefit from such celebrity connections, but are still expected to sell for near-record or record prices. For example, if you love Broughs and have the armored car all gassed up, three excellent examples will be available for the bidding. The first, a 1926 Brough Superior SS80/100 should gavel above $240,000. Another Brough, this one a 1931 Superior SS80 should be a little more affordable at $75,000 to $100,000. A rare 1921 Brough Model G is also scheduled to be sold.

A restored ex-works Vincent Black Shadow will also be offered. This bike was used as part of the factory’s effort to establish a new 24-hour speed record at Montlhéry, France, in 1952. Looking no worse for the wear, the Black Shadow is expected to fetch $150,000 to $200,000. Another Vincent of note, a 1949 998cc ‘Red’ Rapide is expected to draw many bidders with deep pockets and an appreciation for British performance bikes.

The 1929 JAP-powered Montgomery 1,000cc V-Twin is another interesting offering that could outshine some of its period competition. The Montgomery name is a familiar one among Brough collectors. They supplied frames and front fork assemblies to Brough during their early years. The Montgomery V-Twins as well as Coventry Eagles were racing rivals to the Brough Superiors in the Thirties. This example is expected to sell for more than $70,000.

More than 240 motorcycles will be offered at the Spring Stafford Sale, including a 31-bike lot from collector Clifford Jones that includes vintage café racers, super bikes and several Ducati replica race bikes. The auction takes place Sunday, April 28. For more information, visit Bonhams.com.

UPDATE (30.April 2013): The 1952 Black Shadow topped the auction at £113,500. McQueen’s Indian went for £32,200, and the 1931 Brough Superior SS80 went for £57,500.

Given our recent discussions on preservation versus restoration, let’s take a look at this 1940 Indian Model 440 four-cylinder motorcycle for sale on Hemmings.com, a worn and dusty but perfectly serviceable scoot. Would you restore it? Would you ride it as is? Or would you seal it in an airtight glass case and put it in a museum? And why does the motorcycle crowd seem so much more willing to preserve than restore old bikes? From the seller’s description:

as you can see is what most collectors would call a “time warp’ survivor piece. This particular bike was used from 1940 and for approximately five years after the war and then was put away in dry storage.

In early 2007 the current owner purchased the bike and had it re-commissioned by one of the finest 4 cylinder Indian mechanics in the Midwest. In the fall of 2007 the bike was taken out after being re-commissioned (no major mechanical work done to the engine/no cracks or repairs to the crank case) this was taken on a 50 mile ‘shake down run’ and ran perfectly and is currently being offered; and check out those real 1940 saddle bags! Show me another with this much survivor character.

It would be a shame to restore this bike as it just has too much character the way it shows. Four cylinder Indians are extremely rare, 1940 & 1941 are the most desirable and an original, un-restored Indian four cylinder is a joy to look at; but a bike with this much character and patina is a once in a life time opportunity. Bike starts, runs, and brakes just fine, cruise 55-60 mph all day.

NOTE: Bike has a rebuilt speedometer from Speed-O-Rat and was set back to ZERO miles. (Actual mileage unknown).

We mentioned the MidAmerica 2012 New York Antique Motorcycle Auction last month while discussing the Wall of Death event at the MotorcyclePedia Museum, and now the list of consignments has been finalized. There is a little something for every motorcycle collector in this range of over 120 bikes that will be on hand for viewing on Friday evening from 5 to 9 p.m., with the auction taking place on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Just a few of the bikes that will be crossing the stage include a 1948 Indian Chief, described as completely restored, with only 11 miles since restoration; a 1960 Ariel Leader 250cc two-stroke, with both windshield and hard bags; a 1959 Matchless G80 350cc, with only 4,600 miles on the odometer; a 1912 Wagner single, a former Otis Chandler Museum display that has gone through meticulous restoration; and a 1964 Honda CB160, a Preservation Award winner at the AACA event in Stowe, Vermont, in 2011.

There are also a pair of Vincent Black Shadows, a Reading Standard, several vintage Harleys and Triumphs, and several newer Hondas and Suzukis.

The auction is part of the museum’s Spring Festival and includes an appearance by Barbara McQueen, the wife of Steve McQueen, who will be autographing copies of her new book Steve McQueen: The Last Mile outside the museum.

Wolfe Industrial Auctions, a company known for industrial equipment auctions, ventured into the classic car and vintage motorcycle realm this past weekend with the sale of numerous antique cars and bikes, including what was reported to be the oldest gas-powered production American-made motorcycle still in existence.

The bike – a 1903 Indian, serial number 548, which had been owned by Charles Adler Jr. since the 1950s and made a public showing at Daytona Bike Week earlier this year – sold for $155,000.

Indian, founded in 1897 as the Hendee Manufacturing Company to produce bicycles, built its first prototype motorcycle in 1901 and first sold motorcycles to the public in 1902. However, Steve Rinker, owner of Buck’s Indian, a restoration shop in Romney, West Virginia, said that most of the limited number of Indians built in the 1902 model year were disassembled for their parts to be used on 1903 production models. The bike is thought to pre-date any 1903 Harley-Davidsons, and the low serial number indicates it was certainly one of the first few 1903 Indians.

Other vehicles of note in Saturday’s auction included a 1968 AMX, which sold for $31,000; a 1939 Indian Four with lower end restoration, which sold for $50,000; and a 1964 King Midget in need of restoration, which went for $2,700.

In addition to the motorcycle auctions by Auction America and Bonhams scheduled for next month, comes word of a third motorcycle auction in Las Vegas the same weekend, and this sale by Mid America Auctions promises to be huge. More than 375 bikes have already been consigned, three of which have direct ties to Steve McQueen.

Among the bikes for sale will be McQueen’s 1971 Husqvarna 400 Cross, described by the auction as “Sports Illustrated magazine cover bike competitively raced by him. Documented w/ serial number verification, photos, factory & dealer bills of sale, repair orders for the missing front fender.” Note the lack of a definite or indefinite article. Other McQueen-owned bikes to be offered are a 1938 Triumph Speed Twin that was restored for McQueen by Bud Eakins at his Hollywood shop and a 1940 Indian inline-four that was originally purchased from the McQueen estate in 1984 and is now being sold by the purchaser’s son. Steve McQueen’s wife will also be in attendance at the auction, presenting two books she has written about her life with the legendary movie icon, avid motorcycle collector and expert rider.

McQueen bikes don’t interest you? How about a 1998 Ducati 916 SPS with no miles on it? The bike was purchased from the dealer and never ridden. All original paperwork is included with the bike. A restored 1939 BMW R12 is also featured, as is a Czechoslovakian-built 1935 Bohmerland Langtourer three-seater with dual rear gas tanks and a 1913 Flying Merkel Board Track Racer, built by Merkel employee Maldwyn Jones in 1912, who raced it himself. The list goes on and on, and so does the online catalog. The Mid America Auctions motorcycle auction will take place January 12-14. A complete list of all the bikes (currently 18 pages’ worth) is available at MidAmericaAuctions.com.

It could be rightfully said that the sale of the late Lee Roy Hartung Collection was one of the highly anticipated auction events of the Fall. And for good reason: The scope of what lay strewn about Hartung’s estate in Glenview, Illinois, was not fully realized until the staff of Auctions America by RM – the Auburn, Indiana-based company tasked with the sifting, arranging and selling of Hartung’s museum – had begun the monumental effort. Word quickly spread of the mountains of automotive parts; everything from spark plugs to NOS connecting rods to fenders and wheels; rare and highly desirable motorcycles; an armada of Ford Model A’s; petroleum memorabilia; dealer literature; bicycles; and an odd arrangement of home furnishings. Even kids’ toys were unearthed. The list was seemingly endless. In all, just shy of 1,600 individual lots.

With regard to complete two- and four-wheeled vehicles – meaning most, if not all, of the parts were still in place – all would require some form of mechanical restoration, and a good chunk of those desperately needed a complete stem-to-stern, ground-up restoration. No matter, as Auctions America officials reported that bidders from nine countries and 46 states descended upon Glenview for the three-day sale, held this past weekend.

Sticking with the topic of completed vehicles, a grand total of 75 automobiles had their moment under the stage lights, 58 of which found new locations for less than $10,000. Topping the four-wheeled chart, however, was Lot 7549 – a Spohn-bodied 1950 Veritas BMW that fetched $195,000, which was also good enough for second on the overall top 10 list for the weekend. Second was the car pictured above: the 1950 Edwards R-26 Roadster at $143,750; the Edwards placed third on the overall top 10 (it turns out that these were the only two cars to make the overall top 10). Rounding out the top 10 among the offered automobiles, including a tie for 10th:

The sale average, by way of comparison, among automobiles was $11,426.

1950 Bentley Saloon

A total of 48 motorcycle lots crossed the block (several lots were multi-bike sales), the top sale going to an exceptionally rare, twin belt drive 1911 Flying Merkel (Lot 6483) at $201,250; it also fetched top sale of the weekend.

1911 Flying Merkel

Coming in second among the two-wheeled category was Lot 6489, a 1912 Harley-Davidson at $115,000; it was followed by Lot 6485, a 1911 Pope Model H hammered home at $83,375. Rounding out the rest of the top 10 motorcycles:

A total of 23 motorcycle lots sold for less than $10,000, dropping that group’s average sale price to $28,878.

To give you an idea of how low bidders were willing to go, Lot 7501 – a 1959 Edsel Ranger that was more of a parts car than restoration project – sold for just $230, while Lot 6456 – a 1979 Yamaha XS Eleven Special – gaveled for just two C-notes and a buck; considerably less than the $29,900 spent on a run of Arizona license plates.

According to Auctions America president Donnie Gould,

“We were honored to have been entrusted with the sale of the famed Lee Roy Hartung Collection and are very pleased with the results. The sale was a terrific celebration of one man’s drive to collect and preserve American history. Collectors recognized the range of rare ownership opportunities the sale presented, as was reflected in the strong attendance and results. In addition to the automobiles, vintage motorcycles were a major component and focus of the collection. The prices realized for the examples on offer confirms the continued strength of the collectible motorcycle market.”

Want to see more results, including the parts lots? We suggest you pour yourself an enjoyable beverage and check out the complete list here. Future Auctions America sales can be found here.

When Penny Worley Auctioneers was approached about selling the contents of the estate of Bill King Jr., I’m sure they got the standard line from the executor: “coupla Corvettes, a few Indians, a few other cars and some extra parts.” What they encountered could be considered an Indian collector’s mother lode. In addition to seven original “barn find” Indians, the parts could keep a few Indian restorers in the business for years to come.

The original 1936 Indian upside down Four (pictured above) has to be my favorite of the bikes. Okay, so it is missing a seat (not a problem; one of the parts lots is original Indian seats) and a gas tank. But, this classic looks unmolested, with matching-numbers engine and frame.

There is also a 1937 Junior Scout, a Fifties Brave, a 1940 Chief V-Twin and a 1941 inline-four up for grabs as well. Parts lots include inline-four engine cylinders, heads, cases, and four original Indian sidecars in need of restoration. The auction will also feature a modified inline-four that was built for use in aircraft; the transmission case has been modified to attach a propeller. If you are restoring a late Thirties Indian three-wheel Dispatch Tow, a rear axle assembly and rear body sheetmetal are also listed as one of the lots. Automotive parts including Hemi engine parts and Corvette pieces are also available.

The cars up for bid include a 1985 Lamborghini Jalpa, a 1962 fuel-injected Corvette, 1966 big block Corvette Stingray and a 1973 MGB. The auction is online only through Worley’s website; however, you can show up in Hamilton, Ohio, from October 14-16 to inspect the lots. Those choosing to stay and bid will be provided a computer at the Worley offices to do so.

The Leaning Tower of Niles, Illinois was built in 1934 by industrialist Robert Ilg on the grounds of a recreation area for employees of the Ilg Hot Air Electric Ventilating Company of Chicago. The gold speedster in the foreground is an atom age mystery. (photo is dated November 1961 – ed.)

Built in the early 1930s by Minnesota teenager Bob Shotwell, this rear-engined tricycle coupe is powered by an inline four from a 1931 Indian motorcycle, with bodywork hand hammered from sheet steel at his dad’s radiator shop. Bob and his brother Edward made local headlines with a 6,000 mile grand tour, the car eventually racking up some 150,000 miles before its retirement. Fearing little Philbert would be plundered by bike restorers for its mill, Shotwell offered the car to Jay Leno, who restored it to a semblance of its former glory, minus the twin sidemounts and punk graffiti on the fender valence.

People personalize their cars in very personal ways, but this particular impulse is new to me. Seems that Hebron, Ohio’s Manny Powell had a tricked out 454 big block that he wanted on permanent display, so he sawed a ’69 Z28 shell into 29 pieces and went from there. Honey, I shrunk the Camaro? As for interior accommodations, try to imagine any of the guys on either side, inside.